


Alternate Electives

by leeklustre



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: First Meetings, Gen, Science & Magic, Timeline What Timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 15:41:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13684695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leeklustre/pseuds/leeklustre
Summary: Peter acquires a possible new mentor.





	Alternate Electives

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JordannaMorgan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JordannaMorgan/gifts).



Peter pressed to end his call and stared dismally, for a moment, at his phone. He was well aware that for all the attention he was getting from Happy and, more importantly, Stark, he might just as well be recording a video diary as leaving them voice messages.

"Fascinating," came a voice from behind him, which should have been impossible - Peter whipped around - because he was on the roof of a twelve-storey building. 

The man behind him was a little overdressed for the day, though Peter couldn't really throw stones. A blue tunic, and a high-collared red cloak. That level of ostentation looked like code for villain, but most villains didn't choose red and blue.

"How did you get up here?" Peter asked, because it was politer than, "Who are you and what do you want?"

"Magic," the man said mildly. He snorted. "I see you have the same disdain for it I once did. None of your powers are supernatural, are they?"

"Well," Peter had to admit, "no, I don't think so..." There was something distinctly un-scientific about results that couldn't be replicated. 

"Um," he said. "I'm Spider-Man. What should I call you?"

"Doctor Stephen Strange," the man said easily, which set Peter's alarm bells off again. "Oh, don't worry," he added. "I can easily remove your memory of this encounter."

Which was the opposite of reassuring. Peter backed away a little, and felt obliged to say, "If you go around knocking people out, you should know, that's _really_ dangerous." 

"I do know," Stephen said, sounding pleased. "Good lad. The _doctor_ part isn't an affectation, you know."

"Okay," Peter said, trying to overlook _good lad_. "Taking people's memories away sounds.... kind of unethical, though."

And since he'd already potentially offended this guy, he carried on - "So, uh, what do you want?"

Dr Strange shrugged. "Magic or not, I pay attention to anything, or anyone, around this city that has the potential to twist the laws of causality. What you can do is highly unusual. It changes things."

"And what do you do," Peter asked cautiously, "with the things you pay attention to?" He didn't - really - like the idea of this man watching him. It felt like, well, being a bug under a microscope.

"Usually," Doctor Strange said, "I start with a little chat."

"Well," Peter said. "Okay. I mean, what do you want to know about me?"

Dr Strange was taking on an expression that Peter was starting to recognize on Happy's face, and maybe had seen on Mr Stark's, too, if Peter were honest with himself. The look that said _I'm not asking - or listening - because I want to. Only because apparently I should._

"I'm a kid," Peter said, a little sarcastically, "I try to stop crime, I don't kill people, I try not to hurt them unless they're hurting other people, and also I still have to go to school and do my homework. Also, Iron Man knows about me -" he didn't miss the roll of Dr Strange's eyes- "so if you have a problem, take it up with him." Saying that felt _terrible_ , way worse than answering questions about his 'internship' with Stark that on most days felt like anything but.

Dr Strange held up his hands. "Okay, okay, kid," he muttered. "I get it. Well. I might be seeing you around."

He turned to go. The cloak swirled.

"Wait," Peter said.

Dr Strange turned.

"I haven't seen you before," Peter said, slowly, "but I've seen your cloak."

"Oh?"

"It broke my fall," Peter said. "Two weeks ago. I though someone had just flung it over some goods in an alley to protect them, but that's not what happened, is it?"

There was a strange expression on Dr Strange's face; Peter thought he was trying to repress a smile.

The edge of the cloak twitched up, and Strange patted his arm, absently - no, patted the cloak where it fell over his arm.

"Still going to make me forget?" Peter asked, following a hunch.

"Maybe not, just for now," Dr Strange said, casually. "Are you going to include this in your little reports to Stark?"

"Maybe not, just for now," Peter parroted.

"Very well."

Dr Strange strolled to the side of the building - and stepped up on the ledge - and stepped off.

And stood there, on air. 

Peter shrugged, trying not to be impressed. "You'll have to show me how you do that," he said.

"Magic," Dr Strange reminded him. "Though it shares at least one principle with science - it is not impossible to learn."

He clicked his fingers, and vanished.

Maybe... Maybe. And if even Tony Stark didn't know about this...

Peter thought of his existing homework load, and had to suppress a groan.

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy!
> 
> I think these two would have fun together.


End file.
